To implement a detection technique in which a tumble of and a shock to on articles can be detected even with a simple and low-cost structure.An indicator according to the present invention for detecting a tumble of and a shock to an article moves away from a holding guide in a detector when the detector inclines and goes beyond a limit for inclination. The indicator includes a first part in the shape of rolling on the holding guide when the detector inclines, and a second part smaller than the first part and in the shape of not preventing the first part from rolling. The first part and the second part join together and separate when receiving a shock.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An indicator moving away from a holding guide in a detector when the detector inclines and goes beyond a limit for inclination, comprising: a first part to roll on the holding guide when the detector inclines; and a second part smaller than the first part and having a shape that does not prevent the first part from rolling, wherein the first part and the second part are joined together, and thereafter separate when a shock is received.
2. The indicator of claim 1 , wherein the second part includes a first portion and a second portion that join together by a magnetic force, the first part being sandwiched between the first and the second portions, and the first and the second portions separating from one another to release the first part when a shock is received.
3. The indicator of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and the second portions includes a magnet.
4. The indicator of claim 1 , further comprising a joining portion by which the first part and the second part are joined together, wherein the joining portion breaks apart upon a shock being received and separates the first part and the second part from one other.
5. The indicator of claim 4 , wherein the joining portion includes a linear member by which the first part and the second part are joined together at or near their respective contact centers.
6. The indicator of claim 4 , wherein the joining portion includes a bonding member by which the first part and the second part are joined together at their respective contact surfaces.
7. The indicator of claim 4 , wherein the joining portion includes a supporting protrusion that protrudes from a surface of the first part and that supports the second part.
8. The indicator of claim 1 , wherein the first part and the second part are each disk-shaped.
9. The indicator according claim 1 , wherein the first part transmits electromagnetic waves, and the second part shields electromagnetic waves.
10. A detector comprising: a case; an optically transparent cover to cover the case; a pair of guides that face one other and that are set apart in the case, each guide having a slope portion sloping so as to be level when the detector inclines and reaches a limit of inclination; and an indicator held between the slope portions in the pair of guides, comprising: a first part to roll on the slope portions of the guides; and a second part smaller than the first part and having a shape that does not prevent the first part from rolling, wherein the first part and the second part are joined together, and thereafter separate when a shock is received.
11. The detector of claim 10 , wherein the pair of guides comprise pass portions to which the slope portions slopingly connect, the pass portions being set in the case such that the pass portions are separated by a distance to hold the first part by both of the slope portions for the indicator and to not hold the second part.
12. The detector of claim 10 , further comprising capture portions that catch the indicator moving away from the guides when the detector inclines beyond the limit for inclination, the capture portions set in the case on outsides of the guides.
13. The detector of claim 10 , further comprising a resonant tag set on a backside of the case, wherein the case, the cover, and the first part of the indicator transmit electromagnetic waves, the second part of the indicator shields electromagnetic waves, and the resonant tag is detuned by the second part of the indicator held between the slope portions in the pair of guides is.
14. The detector of claim 11 , further comprising a resonant tag set on a backside of the case, wherein the case, the cover, and the first part of the indicator transmit electromagnetic waves, the second part of the indicator shields electromagnetic waves, and the resonant tag is detuned by the second part of the indicator when the second part is stopped after passing between the pass portions in the pair of guides.
15. The detector of claim 12 , further comprising a pair of resonant tags set on a backside of the case, wherein the case, the cover, and the first part of the indicator transmit electromagnetic waves, the second part of the indicator shields electromagnetic waves, and the resonant tags have different resonant frequencies and are detuned by the second part of the indicator when the second part is caught in each of the capture portions.
16. The detector of claim 15 , wherein both of the pair of resonant tags are further detuned by the second part of the indicator held between the slope portions in the pair of guides.
17. A method for detecting a tumble of and a shock to an article, comprising: preparing a detector comprising: a case; an optically transparent cover to cover the case; a pair of guides that face one other and that are set apart in the case, each guide having a slope portion sloping so as to be level when the detector inclines and reaches a limit of inclination; and an indicator held between the slope portions in the pair of guides, comprising: a first part to roll on the slope portions of the guides; and a second part smaller than the first part and having a shape that does not prevent the first part from rolling; a resonant tag set on a backside of the case, wherein the first part and the second part are joined together, and thereafter separate when a shock is received, wherein the case, the cover, and the first part of the indicator transmit electromagnetic waves, the second part of the indicator shields electromagnetic waves, and the resonant tag is detuned by the second part of the indicator; fixing the detector to an upper position of the article with a longitudinal direction of the detector corresponding to a height direction of the article; after moving the article, passing the article through a detection gate detecting resonance from the resonant tag; and where the detection gate has detected a resonance, concluding that one or more of the following has occurred: the article has inclined beyond the limit for inclination, and the article has received.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising, where the detection gate has not detected a resonance, concluding that one or more of the following has occurred: the article has not inclined beyond the limit for inclination, and the article has not received a shock.
19. A method for detecting a tumble of and a shock to an article, comprising: preparing a detector comprising: a case; an optically transparent cover to cover the case; a pair of guides that face one other and that are set apart in the case, each guide having a slope portion sloping so as to be level when the detector inclines and reaches a limit of inclination; and an indicator held between the slope portions in the pair of guides, comprising: a first part to roll on the slope portions of the guides; and a second part smaller than the first part and having a shape that does not prevent the first part from rolling; capture portions that catch the indicator moving away from the guides when the detector inclines beyond the limit for inclination, the capture portions set in the case on outsides of the guides; a pair of resonant tags set on a backside of the case, wherein the first part and the second part are joined together, and thereafter separate when a shock is received, wherein the case, the cover, and the first part of the indicator transmit electromagnetic waves, the second part of the indicator shields electromagnetic waves, and the resonant tags have different resonant frequencies and are detuned by the second part of the indicator when the second part is caught in each of the capture portions; fixing the detector to an upper position of the article with a longitudinal direction of the detector corresponding to a height direction of the article; after moving the article, passing the article through two different detection gates detecting resonances from the pair of resonant tags respectively; where both of the two detection gates have detected the resonances, concluding that one of the following has occurred: the article has not received a shock, and the article has received a shock without inclining beyond the limit for inclination.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, where one of the two detection gates has not detected the resonance, concluding that the article has inclined beyond the limit for inclination in a direction toward the resonant tag that did not detect the resonance.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 23, 2008
April 19, 2011
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